a city cannot be reduced to a slogan

Connecticut was ranked 44 out of 50 for bike friendliness by the League of American Bicyclists in 2010; now, the state has moved to 20. South Windsor was the only new “Bicycle Friendly Community” in the state, receiving a bronze award.

This event calendar is not intended to be one-stop-shopping. Major events or those already receiving heavy promotion tend to be excluded, as do most events with large price tags, though exceptions are sometimes made, particularly if the cause is good or there are discounts offered.

If there is anything that fits that bill, happens in Hartford, but is missing from this list, leave a note in the comments and/or remind your organization to send out press releases:

September 1

Free admission to museum galleries at the Connecticut Historical Society from 9-5 today.

Pliny Street Block Party: The Clay Arsenal Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and various community organizations will be on hand from 12-4pm. There will be face painting, food, entertainment, and of course, a moon bounce. Continue reading 'Stuff to Do in September'»

When the iQuilt project announced that diverting Gully Brook to form a false river above a buried one was in the plans, it was pointed out that this would disrupt the popular playground, which already has a water play area. Sure, the water playground had been broken for longer than it was functional, but it was there, if only someone would get it running again.

The house cleaning that happened at the Burns School last spring was more than metaphorical. Besides the change in leadership, there have been renewed efforts to get the community involved. There was a major cleanup of the school — inside and out — in March.

In recent weeks, the Summer of Solutions program went to work on a corner of the school grounds, among its other projects in Hartford. The youth cleared weeds and rubbish; installed and painted raised beds; planted vegetables in those raised beds; and placed brightly-colored benches near the new garden space. Previously, this area was an overgrown and underutilized space.

On Thursday, the community was invited to welcome Dr. Monica Brase, the new principal at the school. She is replacing Mr. Sullivan, who served for a few months in the capacity as interim principal. The event also served as an opportunity for voter registration and new student registration.

Today, Knox Parks and Billings Forge led another beautification effort. After tackling more debris, volunteers planted several trees along the property. The school happens to be across the street from Pope Park North, which has received funding for the restoration with an expected completion date of 2013.

At neighborhood meetings, DOT reps informed residents that the plans to close Flower Street were set in stone. One even claimed that it does not matter how many outraged individuals show up at tomorrow’s hearing, opinion will not be swayed by the public.